We are writing in response to the candidacy of the City of Zakopane, Poland, which is proposing to organize the Winter olympic games in year 2006. Both the idea, and the means and ways utilized to achieve this goal by the Government of Poland and the City of Zakopane raise several concerns, which should be brought to your attention. Primary concern is related to proposed location of the Games in Zakopane. This City is practically surrounded by the most unique and fragile natural alpine ecosystem in northern Carpathian mountains. It's value was reflected by granting it a status of first National Park in Poland. It is called the TATRZANSKI PARK NARODOWY (Tatra National Park), after its highest part called TATRY. The astablishment of this national park, spearheaded the emergence of modern conservation movement in Poland, and thus could be only compared to establishment of Yosemite or Yellowstone National Parks in western United States. Today the Tatra National Park is the most valuable and unique National Park in Poland. This park is also a Unesco biosphere reserve. Several reports done by the members of the academia, government, and non-governmental organizations clearly indicate that Olympic Games, if they take place, will have an extremely destructive and irreversable impact on the National Park's unique natural environment. The City of Zakopane, although not in the Park boundaries is completely enclosed within park's fragile ecotone. Because of this it must comply with numerous local, national, and international restrictions on development. Since the location of games under proposed plan or any plan would necessitate the extensive use and construction in national park, such action would destroy large parts of the park, and with it a century of efforts of conservationists to save these mountains. Tatra National Park is already seriously overloaded with visitors, in 1996 alone, over 5 milon people visited this relarively small National Park. The rnge is 1000 tims smaller than European famous Alps. The small tow of Zakopane has already a growing water deficit, inadequate transportational links to large populated areas, and inadequate infrastructure to support world-class onslaught of atletes, fans, and journalists. These games would be simply illegal in accordance to Polish environmental laws. The use of National Parks in Poland is regulated by the Constitution and a set of Laws passed by Polish Congress. These Laws limit the use of Parks for those activities that have minimal impact on the environment. Thus only selected sporting activities such as hiking, rock climbing, cave exploration, some skiing, are allowed, yet even those are restricted to marked trails and regulated by the system of permits. Aditionally, the law of Nowy Sacz province (it's inlude Zakopane) says about undeveloping in the region. The Olympic villages smply would maka opposite effect. Yet, the proposal was submited secretly. 2 month after the submition it was sent to the Environmental Minister then to the Directors of Tatra National Park. I both cases it came with note that no one else can see it. This happened althought the Polish Minister of Environment -during the meeting of European Ministries in summer '98- signed the treaty required all environmental documents to be publiclly known.

Secondary concern is related to the irregularities and unethical ways which were and still are utilized the Polish Government and the Government of the City of Zakopane in order to win the Olympics for Poland. Those examples include the attempts to fire the Director of the Tatrzanski National Park for releasing information about the harmful effects that the proposed games would have on the Park. High position of the Vice-Minister of Environment was given to the brother of the President of Zakopane City, indicationg the possibility of nepotism and conflict of interest. Polish government recently commited some funds to cover the costs of potential projects, yet the budgetary constrains in current unstable economy are so severe, that the governments ability to finance the games has been questioned by non-governmental organizations. Another set of activities relates to the current situation of Athletic Clubs and the sporting community as whole in Poland. Many clubs suffer a severe organizational crisis: many of them were implicated in illegal activities in recent years, such as alcohol smuggling, internal infighting for power and lack of financial accountability, to mention just few of them. This certainly does not paint a picture of a cohesive and honest sporting community. None of above activities represent the genuine Olympic spirit.

Polish environmental organizations, scientists, and a illustrious gathering of Poland's most well-known cultural leaders have banded together to strengthen the campaign in protest of hosting the Olympics in the Tatras. Leading environmental non-government organizations include: Polish Ecological Club, League for Nature Conservation, Polish Society for Bird Conservation, Polish Tatra Society, Workshop for All Beings, Gaia Club, Green Federation, and Polish Tourist Society. Scientific organizations include the Committee for Nature Conservation of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Institute for Nature Conservation of the Polish Academy of Sciences. In October 1998, a group of eleven of Poland's foremost cultural leaders signed an press release in support of the protest against organizing the Olympics in the Tatra Mountains. The cultural leaders joining the protest campaign include two Polish Nobel Laureates and writers, a film director, a music composer, and the last living decendent of the founding family of the town of Zakopane. The protest has also support of many PolishAmericans, and American environmental organizations, including the best known in west coast, where the forest issues are well known. The burgeoning protest continues to receive coverage in the Polish and some international media.

We are looking forward to cooperating with you and providing you with all sources of information available to us. Please, do not hesitate to contact P.A.E.A. in case you need any additional information regarding proposed site in Zakopane.